Wave-breaker.



PATENTED SEPT. 8

J. A. ROSVOLD.

. WAVE BREAKER.

APELIGATION FILED NOV. 5, 1907.

THE NORRIS PETERS 0a., WASHINGTON, u. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. I

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 8, 1908.

Application filed November 5, 1907. Serial No. 400,800.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN ARNT RosvoLD, a subject of the King of Norway,residing at Nome, Alaska, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in l/Vave-Breakers, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to safety devices for boats and large vessels intime of storm, and has for its object to revent drifting and at the sametime to hold the vessels head to the waves and break the force of thelatter.

The invention consists in the combination of a heavy spar, post orsuitable frame arranged with suitable lashings and floats, with a seaanchor or drag, cooperating as a whole when properly attached to avessel to hold the vessels head to the waves, prevent drifting, and tobreak or smooth the waves so that by the time they reach the vessel theyhave lost their force.

The invention also consists in the various novel details of constructionand arrangement of parts hereinafter described, and shown in theaccompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan view showing theinvention in use connected to a vessel Fig. 2 is a side elevation of thesame and Fig. 3 is a detail view on enlarged scale showing theconstruction of the sea anchor or drag.

Referring to the drawings, A is a sea anchor or drag having a pressuresurface adapted to work at right angles to the pull of the vessel.

B is the wave breaker, and C is the vessel, the sea anchor or drag beingconnected to the wave breaker and the latter to the vessel so that thewave breaker lies at a distance from the anchor and between this and thevessel. 1

The sea anchor or drag A is composed of a triangular frame of which thelower bar a is made heavier or weighted and has pivotally attachedthereto the side bars a. These side bars are latched together at theapex a of the triangle as shown, so that they may be collapsed and lieadjacent the bar a for convenience in stowing in the vessel. The frameis preferably of iron, and is covered with canvas to act as a drag. Thissea anchor is adapted to work below the surface of the water and issupported at the proper depth by a float 1 to which it is connected byrope or other connection 2. It is connected to the wave breaker by meansof ropes 3 which are connected at 4. to a single rope 5.

The wave breaker B consists of a spar, post, or suitable frame 6connected from its ends to rope 5 by means of ropes 6 on one side, andto rope 7 on the other side by means of ropes 8, rope 7 being attachedto the bow of the vessel with which the device is used. The ropes 6 and8 are so proportioned that the spar b is held parallel to the workingsurface of anchor A, and these ropes are supported at the proper depthbelow the surface of the water by means of small buoys or floats 9. Aweight or sinker 10 is provided at the lead end of rope 5 so as tomaintain the proper angle of pull upon the sea anchor A.

It will be observed that the spar b is made large and heavy incomparison with the size of the sea anchor and in proportion to thevessel with which it is used, and as it is maintained directly towindward and at a distance both from the anchor and the vessel, directlybetween them, it operates to break the waves or else smooth them out sothat by the time they reach the vessel they have lost their force andthe vessel will be in comparative calm, in the "dead swell as it may betermed. The buoys or floats 9 also operate to assist in breaking thewaves. The sea anchor or drag A operates to maintain the wave breaker Bin the proper position relatively to the boat or vessel, to hold thevessels head to the waves, and to prevent drifting with the wind.

The size of the anchor and also of the wave breaker are made to suit thesize of the boat or vessel with which they are intended to be used. Iwill state by way of illustration that with what is known as a ColumbiaRiver Boat, a fishing boat about twenty-six feet long, the size of theanchor should be about four and and one half feet and the length of thespar for the wave breaker about ten feet with a diameter of siX inches.

While I have spoken of ropes as the connecting means, it will beunderstood, of course, that I contemplate all equivalents thereof suchas chains which will probably be used in larger constructions. Also, bythe the use of the term spar I contemplate all equivalents such as anykind of frame for effecting the same purpose.

Having described my invention what 1 claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In a safety device for vessels, the com bination with a sea anchor ordrag operative at a depth below the surface of the water, of a sparadapted to float upon the surface of the water, connections from eachend approximately of said spar on one side to said sea anchor or drag,and on the other side to a connecting means for the vessel, and aplurality of floats arranged at intervals along said connections adaptedto support the same the proper depth below the surface of the Water andto cooperate with said spar to break the waves, substantially asdescribed.

2'. In a safety device for vessels, the combination with a sea anchor ordrag operative at a depth below the surface of the water and consistingof a collapsible frame having a lower weighted bar, side-bars pivotallyattached to the ends thereof and making detachable engagement with eachother at their opposite ends, and a covering or drag 1 surface for saidframe; of a spar adapted to float upon the surface of the Water, connections from each end approximately of said spar on one side to said seaanchor or drag, and on the other side to a connecting means for avessel, and a plurality of floats arranged at intervals along saidconnections adapted to support the same the proper depth below thesurface of the water and to cooperate with said spar to break the waves,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have afliXed my signature, in presence of twoWitnesses.

JOHN ARNT ROSVOLD Witnesses:

WM. MoMANUs, W. T. LUoAs.

